Comments on: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back http://www.oolonginkwell.com/one-step-forward-two-steps-back/ A community where writers celebrate the writing life Wed, 12 May 2010 20:03:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: mistina http://www.oolonginkwell.com/one-step-forward-two-steps-back/comment-page-1/#comment-77 mistina Mon, 03 May 2010 15:11:35 +0000 http://www.oolonginkwell.com/?p=209#comment-77 Yes, everyone writes differently. And I seem to be more of a "seat-of-your-pants" kind of gal. Your advice does seem to make sense, Glen. I can talk myself out of it, saying that forging ahead is the "easy" route, that I'm delaying the hard work of plotting the "real" draft, etc. But I need to finish the darn thing. And then I'll know what I have to work with when I buckle down for that next draft. Skye, I wouldn't say that Glen is showing you up (although he's definitely showing *me* up). But he certainly shares some lovely gems of wisdom, doesn't he? Yes, everyone writes differently. And I seem to be more of a “seat-of-your-pants” kind of gal.

Your advice does seem to make sense, Glen. I can talk myself out of it, saying that forging ahead is the “easy” route, that I’m delaying the hard work of plotting the “real” draft, etc. But I need to finish the darn thing. And then I’ll know what I have to work with when I buckle down for that next draft.

Skye, I wouldn’t say that Glen is showing you up (although he’s definitely showing *me* up). But he certainly shares some lovely gems of wisdom, doesn’t he?

]]> By: skye http://www.oolonginkwell.com/one-step-forward-two-steps-back/comment-page-1/#comment-73 skye Sun, 02 May 2010 17:38:18 +0000 http://www.oolonginkwell.com/?p=209#comment-73 I hate when Glen is all smart and stuff and shows me up. I do like how he compared writing your novel to finishing your first marathon. I'd follow his advice. I hate when Glen is all smart and stuff and shows me up. I do like how he compared writing your novel to finishing your first marathon. I’d follow his advice.

]]> By: Glen http://www.oolonginkwell.com/one-step-forward-two-steps-back/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Glen Sun, 02 May 2010 12:56:14 +0000 http://www.oolonginkwell.com/?p=209#comment-72 I think your first objective should be to finish the book to the end. It doesn't have to be perfect the first time. It won't be anyways. After you are done to the end you are satisfied it's complete and you move on to fix it in subsequent drafts. But you always have the book done in some form or other. To me it's kind of like the marathon that you are going to run. The first one isn't about coming in first or last. It's just about finishing. The next ones are about improving and tweaking what you do. Skye is right though. Everyone writes differently. Life is so complicated.. I think your first objective should be to finish the book to the end.
It doesn’t have to be perfect the first time. It won’t be anyways.
After you are done to the end you are satisfied it’s complete and you move on to fix it in subsequent drafts.
But you always have the book done in some form or other.

To me it’s kind of like the marathon that you are going to run.
The first one isn’t about coming in first or last. It’s just about finishing.
The next ones are about improving and tweaking what you do.

Skye is right though. Everyone writes differently.
Life is so complicated..

]]> By: skye http://www.oolonginkwell.com/one-step-forward-two-steps-back/comment-page-1/#comment-70 skye Sat, 01 May 2010 19:26:01 +0000 http://www.oolonginkwell.com/?p=209#comment-70 I think everyone writes differently, so it's hard to say which way you should go. Some write by the seat of their paths, letting the characters tell them what to write. Others, like my old creative writing teacher, write out outlines of the story line, as well as a description of each of the characters. And there are plenty other ways of writing that work for different individuals. I will say that there have been times when I've come up with a really good line, but after reading the completed work over and over, I've determined that as good as it is, it detracts from the overall point I'm trying to get across, and so I've deleted it. It's not easy, especially if it felt inspired. Ummmm...I don't think my answer is gonna help you...lol I think everyone writes differently, so it’s hard to say which way you should go. Some write by the seat of their paths, letting the characters tell them what to write. Others, like my old creative writing teacher, write out outlines of the story line, as well as a description of each of the characters. And there are plenty other ways of writing that work for different individuals.

I will say that there have been times when I’ve come up with a really good line, but after reading the completed work over and over, I’ve determined that as good as it is, it detracts from the overall point I’m trying to get across, and so I’ve deleted it. It’s not easy, especially if it felt inspired.

Ummmm…I don’t think my answer is gonna help you…lol

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